Pochteca Group will distribute Shell brand lubricants for the industrial and transportation segments throughout the Mexican Republic under a recently signed macro distribution agreement.
What that means is Pochteca Group will be in charge of sales, marketing, storage and distribution of Shell branded lubricants in Mexico, Barbara Blakely, senior communications official for Shell Mexico, told Lube Report. There is a global Shell Lubricants strategy to increase the presence of its brands in the key markets. We want to grow, but we also want to be simpler in the way we operate our business.
She pointed out that Pochteca has a very wide presence in Mexico, with more than 32 depots. So they have a proven ability to deliver products and services to their customers with a very, very short lead time, and thats really important, Blakely added. Shell will continue providing Pochteca support, including product support, marketing plans and technical assistance.
At the same time, they have a very good level in terms of standards on HSSE [health, safety, security and environment], which is critical, Blakely continued. We will also work with them to ensure those standards never go lower than if it was Shell operating directly or distributing directly.
While the agreement extends to everything sold in Mexico with the Shell brand name, she noted it does not cover Pennzoil or Quaker State products there. The agreement doesnt have any impact on any other business of Shell in Mexico, she added.
Based in Colonia San Miguel Chapultepec, Mexico, Pochteca Group was formed in March 2006 from the merger of Tenedora Pochteca and Dermet de Mxico. Pochtecas subsidiaries include Pochteca Papel, a paper product and cardboard distributor, and Pochteca Materias Primas, a chemical distributor.
Pochteca Materias Primas has four divisions: inorganic chemicals, solvents and coatings, food ingredients and polymers. According to its web site, the subsidiary has 35 distribution facilities and five sales offices in Mexico, along with international branches in Brazil and Guatemala.